Criminal Law

Have you been charged with a criminal offence or are you worried about being charged with a criminal offence?

Have you been contacted by the Police? Do you need legal representation or advice?

If you have been contacted by the Police or a prosecuting body, you may be feeling overwhelmed, scared or stressed. Being charged with a criminal offence and trying to navigate your way through the court process can be an intimidating process.

It is essential that you are aware of your rights at law and any defences that may be available to you.

Common questions

Some common questions that you may have are:

Do I have to speak to the police?

What do I say to the police?

Can the police access my phone?

What is bail?

Can I get bail?

What do my charges mean?

I have a court hearing, what does that mean?

Do I have to attend?

What are my options? Should I plead guilty or not guilty?

If I do plead guilty, what will my sentence be?

If I plead not guilty, what happens next?

Experience matters

Hammond Legal has extensive experience representing clients across a broad range of criminal matters in the Children’s Court, Magistrates Court, Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court, District Court and Supreme Court of Western Australia.

Ashlee Taylor

Lawyer

Ashlee graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2015 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Politics and International Relations. She completed her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice through the College of Law and was admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor in the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2016.

She also practices in personal injury, employment law and estate matters.

Miriam regularly appears in the District Court and Magistrates Court for both plaintiffs and defendants and has a sound knowledge of court practice and procedure.

Miriam is dedicated to achieving the best outcomes for her clients and has extensive experience in negotiating commercial settlements.

Miriam graduated from the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts in 2014. Upon obtaining her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, she was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor to the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2015.

Marie Morris

Director

Marie graduated from university in 2014 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Professional Accounting. Marie completed her post graduate studies at the Australian National University where she obtained a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice. She was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor to the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2015.

Marie has advised on numerous complex litigation matters assisting both individuals and private companies to achieve successful outcomes. She is particularly interested in commercial litigation, estate challenges and insolvency.

Marie comes from a litigation background specialising in personal injury and insurance claims where she has gained extensive experience in alternative methods of dispute resolution including mediation, pre-trial conferences and informal conferences. She has also assisted on complex civil trials in addition to high profile criminal trials and appeals.

Marie has appeared in the majority of Western Australian jurisdictions including the Magistrates Court, District Court, Supreme Court, State Administrative Tribunal and WorkCover WA.

She currently sits on the Board of Directors for the WA Rockability Group and is a member of the Law Society of Western Australia and Women Lawyers Western Australia (WLWA).

John Hammond

Director

Admitted to practice in 1985, John has practiced as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia for over 30 years.

John has extensive experience in civil litigation, commercial disputes, crime, employment law and local government law. He has a vast knowledge of different practice areas and has advised individuals, companies and partnerships in a wide range of commercial litigious and non-litigious matters.

John is an excellent advocate and has appeared as Counsel in most Courts and Tribunals in Western Australia. He has also appeared at the Royal Commissions, local government inquiries and before disciplinary boards.

John is also able to assist with media and public relations, a vital element in the mitigation of damage to personal reputation and corporate risk management.

As Mayor of the Town of Cottesloe (1997 – 2003) and Chairman of the Town’s Town Planning Scheme Review Committee (1999 – 2003), John has worked at length with local government officers and planning consultants.

In 2002, John was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to local government.

John is well known for his role as a commentator on the radio station 6PR and on Channel 9.

John is also a Notary Public.

John is a graduate of the University of Western Australia and has a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws degree.